Garment presser



June 28, 1938. 'c. T. ALLME GARMENT PREssER Filedy July 25, 1936 2 sheetssneet 1 June 28, 1938. c, T ALLME 2,121,850

' GARMENT PREssER l V Filed July 25, 1956 -2 'sheets-sheet 2 Jilzz INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented June28, 19.38

n 'GARMENT PREssER Carl T. Allme, `Meadville, Pa., assigner to Spaide Shirt Company, Sylvania Application July 423, v1936, Serial No. 92,121

2 Claims.

My invention relates to garment-pressing machines, and consists'in improvements inv themachine disclosed in my co-pending application for Letters Patent Serial No. 36,816, filed August 19, "5 1935. f

In the accompanying'drawings FigfI is a frag'- ,mentary view of the machine in side elevation and in vertical section; Fig. II is a sectional view of the driving mechanism ofthe machine, taken on` the plane II-II of Fig. I, and shown on larger scale; and Fig. III isa View in vertical section, and on the scale of Fig. II, of aparticular locking device for the driving mechanism.

A pressing machine of the sort to which my invention is directed consists in avertically reciprocable pressing head and a series ofworksupporting pads The pads are laterally interconnected in closedor` endlessseries, and means are provided for advancingsuch endless series step-by-step, whereby the pads are brought, one

after another, into a position of momentaryrest beneathY .the head. The attendant places garments to :be -pressedupon vthe pads, as they advance 4into such position, and, in the interval between each pad-advancing movement, :the pressing head automatically descends and presses the garment lying upon the pad beneath it. Upon remaining in pressing engagement with the garment for a predetermined interval of time, the

pressing headl is automatically raised, and the series ofrpadsis moved` a step forward, carrying the pressed garment from beneath the head, and moving another into pressing position. l

In Fig. I of the drawings, the reference nu' meral I is applied to the frame of the machine.

The frame is only fragmentarily indicated, but

it will be readily understood (keeping in mind'the showing inmy co-pending case) that the frame l includes on each side` of the machine two parallel, 40 vertically spaced-apart angle members la, la.;

paired angle members a roll 6 is mounted, and the endless work-carrier (not shown) is, trained a over such rolls and extends between the rolls in upper and lower reaches that are guided by and supported upon the angle members la. Oneof v the rolls 6, the roll appearing in Figs. I andl II, isv connected by suitable gearing `(notshown) 'to a shaft 51, and, as'presently will appear, mechanism is provided for intermittently rotating-the shaft 51 and roll A6 through Vsuch intervals that the work-carrier is advanced in the manner alluded to. ,The mechanism for intermittently rotating the shafti 51 is adapted also to effectfthe alternate 4at each Vof the oppositeends of and between such a corporation of Penn- 'descent and rise of the pressing head. The invention lies in particularrenements and elaborations in such mechanism, and, for the sake of simplicity and clarity of illustration, Athe pressing head,y theA work-carrier, and other particular f5 `parts of the apparatus, common bothto mygpres- I ent machine and the one disclosed in myy copending case, have not been illustrated-herein. Suflice -it to say that the pressing head vis moun'ted upon the upper ends of two shafts and 8|, l0 rigidly integrated by cross-bars 81- and 88,` and mounted forvertical reciprocation inl stationary bearing blocks 84 4and 85, and that 'said mechanism is effective to move the shafts in suchr man'- ner that thepressing head descends into engagementkwith the work in the intervals between successive advancesv of the work-carrier. Upon holding the head in pressing engagement with the work for a predetermined and adequate interval of time, the mechanism operates first-to move the shafts 89, 8| upward andlift-the head' from the work, and then to rotate shaft' 51and effect the advance of the work-carrierfthrough such interval that the pressed garment is' moved on andan unpressed garment is moved into position of 'registry beneath the` head.

Turning to a detailed consideration ofthe driving mechanism: A toggle, comprising two links 40 and 4l mutually pivoted at their'inner ends to a connecting rod 42', is 'connected to a horizontally reciprocable cam-plate 45; thatis, to Yan arm 45h extending from such cam-plate and projecting with sliding fit through a bearing 2 in the wall of a housing 44 that encloses thel driving mechanism, it being noted that the side cover-plate 44C (Fig. II) of the. housing is removed in Fig. I. The outer end of link 4|) is pivotallyconnected to a stationary frame por- -tion lb` of the machine, while the corresponding end of link 4l is pivotally secured to the rigid cross-bar 88 that interconnects the shafts 80 and `8l'. And the connection ofthe connecting rod 42 with the slide-arm 45b`is made Iin a cross-head 43. l f A shaft 46', moun`t'ed in .the vwallsjof housing'144, is geared' to an electric motor 58 for continuous rotation; tworadialarms 52 and- 53 are secured on shaft' 46, and between. these arms the camplate 45 is mounted and laterally supported,as shown in Fig. II, it being furtherrperceivedin Fig. I) that the cam-plate includes a horizontal slot 45a., through which the shaft 46 extends, and by virtue of. which horizontal reciprocation of `the camplate is permitted. As viewed axially of theshaft 46, the arms 52 and 53 extend angut55 both the work-carrier and the pressing head del carries a pin 54 which is axially movable transversely of the distal end of the arm, for cooperation with the cam-plate. VThe other arm-arm 53--carries a pin or roller 55 that cooperates with a Geneva stop or camV 56 secured4 on shaft 51. During each rotation of the constantly driven shaft 46, the arms 52, 53 and their associated elements effect in accurately time sequence a quarter rotation of the Geneva cam and a complete reciprocation of the cam-plate 45.Y gearing between the shaft 51 and the roller 6 is such that one quarter revolution of the Geneva cam effects the advance of the work-carrier through the desired interval, already mentioned,

and, as will more fully appear below, each horizontal reciprocation of the cam-plate'45 effects aY complete operation of the pressing head. rIhus,

rive their operating movements from the continuously rotating shaft 46. Manifestly, it is thus possible accurately and positively to coordinate the step-by-step advance of the work-carrier with the vertical reciprocations of theA pressing head; Y

TheV Geneva cam 56 in known wayis provided with four radial slots 66. When the arm 53, rotating counterclockwise, reaches its uppermost position and swings downward, the roller 55 Ycarried thereby enters the outer end of one ofthe jslots 66 in the Geneva cam-specifically the slot 66a in Fig. I is in position to receive the roller. Rotation ofthe shaft 46 and-arms 52, 53 continuing unabated, the engagement of the roller 55 in the slot ofthe Geneva cam causes such cam to rotate clockwise through'ninety degrees, or, graphically, `to such position that the slot 66a reaches the position of slot 66hv in Fig. I. As the parts reach such position, `the roller 55 is by the rotating arm 53 swung from the slot, and a semicylindricaljdisc 64,'integrated1with the arm `53, enters the adjacent oneof the four recesses 65 providedbetween the slots 676 in the periphery of the Geneva cam. Inknown way the engagement of the disc 64 in the recess 65 secures the Geneva cam against rotation. The disc -64 rotates'in unisonwith the continuouslyrotating arm 53, but the Geneva cam 56-and shaft'51 remain at rest so long as any portion of the disc 64 remains in engagement with recess 65. Thus,the shaft 51 is positively'turned through a fraction of a rotation and arrested, and, manifestly, such a fractional rotation of the shaft -51is effected during each rotation of the continuously'driven shaft 46.

In thatfraction of each rotation ofthe continuously driven shaft 46, in which the'rGeneva cam is turned through ninety degrees, the camplate 45 remains at rest in the position illustrated in Fig. I. In such position of the cam-plate, the pressing head will be understood to'be lifted clear of the work-carrier- In the fraction of each revolution of the shaft Y4l'in which the Geneva cam rotates, the pin 54 is held in retracted position in the end of rotatingarm 52,1and in such "position the pin does not engage the'camfplate 45;V More specifically, the pin carries heads 54a and 54h at its opposite ends; a spring 60 (Fig. II), arranged between Vhead 54D on the pin and Yside 52a of the arm, serves to hold lthe pin in such position that its head 54a (shown extendedfin Fig. II) is retracted or nested within a pocket 52h provided inthe distal end of the arm. Y

vTwo cams 6l and 63 are `mounted on the wall 44a of the housing 44. These cams lie spaced The driving Veffected by means of `the cams-6| larly to one another (Fig. I), and the arm 52 apart in the circular path through which the pin 54 is carried by rotating arm 52.

As the roller 55 is swung from engagement with the Geneva cam andthe work-carrier comes to rest at the end of an advance, the head 54h moves in circular path into sliding engagement with the cam 6l, and shifts the pin 54 against the restraint of spring 60 intoV the position illustrated in Fig. II, Withthe head 54a of the pin projecting in such manner as to engage a leg 45e ,on the cam-plate.V Due to such engagement the "rotating arm 52 shifts the cam-plate to the right (Fig.,I,), whereby the toggle linkage 40, 4I, 42 is `shifted into dotted line position, forcing the shafts A80, 8l downward'and thereby carrying the pressing head into ,pressingposition It will be noted that the common pivotal joint of the links 4U, 4l

` is moved .pastcenter and into abutment with an adjustable stop 62. Thus, the linkage tends to remain in its dotted line position, holding the pressing head inV engagement with the work. As the linkage 4U, 4 I, 42 enters such position the pin I54 passes in its circular Ypath from engagement with the cam 6l, and the spring 60 retracts the pin, so that there is no mechanical interference between the rotating arm 52 and the cam plate. When the outer end of rotating arm 52 reaches the top of its path of rotation, the cam 63 effects again the extension of the pin 54, whereby lthe head 54a of the pin engages a leg 45d on the cam-plate, and powerfully carries the linkage 40, 4|, 42 from dotted-line to full-line position, and thus raises the head from engagement with the work immediately before the roller 55 'onarm 53 enters carrier-advancing engagement with the Geneva cam. `The Vpin 54 passes from engagement with the cam 63, as the parts Vmove into full-line position.

It will be understood that the head remains in pressing position during the interval in which the pin 54 is beingV carried from engagement with cam 6I to cam '63. Desirablyythe Vduration 'of this interval is'adjustable, and the adjustment is and 63. lThe cams are adapted for adjustment relatively to onea'nother and in the circular path followed by the pin 54. As shown'in Fig. II, each cam has a tongue-and-groove Yengagement 82 with the housingwall 44Min plan the tongues and grooves comprise arcs of the circle followed'by the pin 54, and each camis pivotally connected to 'the end of a threaded stem 86 that projects through a sleeve-nut 83 secured in thesiderwall 44h ofthe housing, asshown 'in Fig.`I.' By rotating the nuts in one direction or the other, the stems'86 are moved axially inward or outward,.and such shifting of either stem adjusts theposition of the associated cam (6I or 63) peripherally ofzcircular path followed by the pin 54. Thus, the circumferential interval between the cams maybe adjusted, and the effective time of engagement of the pressing head with the work regulated. Y Additionally, the'adjustmentof the cams'Bl, 63 permits regulation of the timing between the-operations of theAwork-carrier and 'pressing head.

As has been already mentioned, Vthe pressing head is sustained in elevated'position during that in response to the positive movement of the head- .reciprocating mechanism. Advantageously, such and the 1ower,'round endio'f the'pin is by a spring Y 1 I held in the socket. The engagement of the pin in the socket is ade'qua'te'tovsecure the parts against Y unintended movement, with the pressing head in elevated position. ,When,ho'wever, positive headoperating thrust vis applied to theAcross-head, the pin yields' upward against spring tension and the cross-head is releasedfor reciprocation. As the slide-armAEb moves from locked 4position (fullline position', Fig. I) through a single reciprocation,y the pressing head is lowered, held against the work for an interval, and then raised. As the slide-arm returns to the initial Ypoint in its range of reciprocation, the tip of rpin 1U again enters the socket 43a in the cross-head and serves to secure the parts in positions of rest, until the pin`54 in the rotating arm 52 again engages the camplate 45 and applies head-operating thrust to the slide-arm 45h.

' It' will be understood that the above-describedy 'apparatus may be modied. within the terms of Y the following claims, without departing from the essence of the invention.

VI claim as my invention:

1. In garment-'pressing apparatus including s a pressing head. a 'garment-supporting surface,

ing head-moving member, a rotary member,r an v element carried ylo-y said rotary member andadapted to beextendedandretracted relatively to said rotary member for engagement 'withrsaid reciprocating member, and a pair of cam-blocks arranged in arcuately spaced relation for effecting Vthe extension of said element, one of said camn blocks being mounted for movementrin an arcu-V ate path substantially parallel to the .path

through which said element is moved by saidY Y rotary membenrthe combination of means for f adjusting said last-named Ycam-block in said arcuate path relatively to the other of said camblocks, whereby the point at which said element is extended in the circular sweep of the rotary memberA may be variedand the interval of time between successive extensions of the element may' be regulated, to control the operation of the press- .ing head, as described. Y Y Y '2. 'Ihe structure of the nextfpreceding claim,A l Y yin which the block-adjustingmeans comprises a stem articulated to a block and axially adjustable -in a line intersecting the arcuate path of block v Y v30 adjustment. a

. CARL T. ALLME. 

